The death toll due to sunstroke in the state rose to 524 with 250 more casualties being reported in the last 24 hours from various districts. Unofficial sources, however, have put the figure between 700 and 800.
According to the disaster management department, the official figure is 524 including 250 deaths reported on Sunday. Eighty-four persons died between April 1 and May 24, and 190 more died on Saturday due to sunstroke.
Coastal Andhra and Telangana regions reeled under severe heat wave conditions for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday. Temperatures remained two or three degrees above normal level at several places though slightly lower compared to Saturday and the day before.
Guntur accounted for the largest number of sunstroke deaths (95), followed by Prakasam (75), East Godavari (60), Nalgonda (47), Adilabad (43) and Karimnagar (43).
Many of the victims were daily wage-earners under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme who were toiling in the hot sun.
Official toll: An official release from state disaster management commissioner T. Radha gave the district-wise sunstroke deaths as: Guntur (95), Prakasam (75), East Godavari (60), Nalgonda (47), Adilabad (43) Karimnagar (43), Khammam (26), Warangal (20), West Godavari (16), Nizamabad (16), Krishna (13), Medak (12), Mahbubnagar (10), Vizianagaram (9), Chittoor (9), Anantapur (7), Srikakulam (7), Rangareddy (6), Kurnool(5), Kadapa (4) and Visakhapatnam (1).
According to officials, the toll has been arrived at 524 basing on the reports received from district collectors but the actual figure may be more as many casualties are not reported to the district administration as government is insisting on post-mortem reports to confirm a sunstroke death for payment of ex gratia to the affected family.
According to an India Meteorological Department report on Sunday, severe heat wave conditions prevailed over some parts of coastal Andhra and heat wave conditions over some parts of Telangana.
WARNING: Severe heat wave conditions will prevail in the districts of Nellore, Prakasam, Guntur, Krishna, East Godavari, West Godavari and Visakhapatnam in coastal Andhra, and heat wave conditions in the districts of Karimnagar and Warangal in Telangana in the next 48 hours.
The maximum temperature of 47 degrees Celsius was recorded at Tuni and Visakhapatnam. While Kakinada and Vijayawada recorded 46 degrees Celsius; Bapatla, Ramagundem, Machilipatnam, Rentachintala and Hanamakonda recorded 45 degrees; Nandigama, Narsapur and Ongole 44 degrees; Kavali, Nalgonda and Nizamambad 43 degrees; and Mahbubnagar, Medak, Kurnool and Tirupati 42 degrees Celsius.